Monday, March 15, 2010

Why I Like the Vancouver Canucks this Year

I like teams that are built up over time through the team building up their prospects. I do not like teams that are put together through signing a bunch of big name talent, the idea of building a team that way does not inspire me.

The current Canucks have seven current skaters that they drafted and have come up through the system. The team also has two you free agent finds of players that did not get drafted. Nine of the regular skaters for the team are ones that the Canucks scouts found.

The team is also young, very young. Sami Salo is the grandfather of the team at age 35. In fact there are only five skaters over the age of 30. A typical player only comes into their own in the mid to late 20s. For defensemen it can take till their late 20s to come into their own.

The Canucks are doing well this season, on course possibly for their best season ever. The core of this team is only going to be better next year and the year after. The defense corps is going to dramatically improve over the next two seasons.

The management of the team seems to be taking their time to build a strong team. They are not rushing. The Canucks should be one of the top most likely to win the Stanley Cup over the next several years.

A young team is easier to keep together, the costs of the players are low enough that there is no need to dump players for salary cap.

The Sedins are not only great players, they are also decent guys. Alex Burrows is the first skater to have managed to get from the ECHL to fulltime gig in the NHL. This is a team of young hard working players.